Dimming device



July 16, 1940.

M. NOSAL 2,208,079

DIMMING DEVICE Filed April 11, 1939 ATTOR N EYS Patented July 16, 1940 UNITED STATES DIMMING DEVICE Mark Nosal, Fargo, N. Dak. 7 Application April 11, 1939, Serial No. 267,258

' 2 Claims. ('01. 240-) This invention relates to automobile headlights-and is an improvement over the structure shown in my prior patent entitled Trafiic signal, No. 1,522,696 dated January 13, 1925.

An object of the present invention is to pro vide a cylinder adjustably mounted with respect to the lamp bulb to be moved to clear the bulb in front of the bulb and thus permit use of the high beani andto be adjusted to embrace the bulb to dim the beam for the protection of approaching tramc.

It is a further object of the invention to provide the cylinder with an opening in one side permitting of the light rays to strike the reflector and be directed with full strength to the right of the vehicle when the light is being dimmed, to promote safe driving.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a cylinder, in the side opposite the opening, with an opening having a color screen therein to modify the light to that portion of the reflector which would shine in. the eyes of an approaching driver.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which will be formed of a few strong simple and durable parts, which will be inexpensive to manufacture and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a headlight equipped with a dimming device constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view drawn to enlarged scale, showing the reflector and showing the projected light rays from the lamp bulb when the dimming cylinder is in dimming position.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 assuming the dimming device to be in inoperative position in front of the bulb.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of the dimming cylinder and supporting link therefor.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view showing a modified form of supporting bracket for the cylinder operating link.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, It) designates a headlight casing equipped with a bracket l I for mounting the lamp socket l2 and. having the usual reflector I3 and lens 14.

Iu carrying out the invention a cylinder l5 preferably formed of metal is provided at the top with a rearwardly, extending link l6 which is slidably engaged through an opening I l in the bracket II and is connected at the rear end to a flexible push rod I8 which is engaged in a flexible housing I9 secured to a tubular bearing 20 which is mounted on the instrument board 2| of the motor vehicle. The push rod is terminally equipped with a button 22 by means of which the push rod may be moved to move the cylinder longitudinally and control the amount of light passing from the bulb 23 to the reflector l3.

The bracket arm 24 is secured to the bracket II and is terminally equipped with an eye 25. The eye embraces the flexible housing and holds the end of the push rod in alignment with the link I6. The left side of the cylinder is cut away to provide an opening 26 to permit light to pass to the left side of the reflector as indicated by the broken lines in Figure 2. A cover 21 is slidably mounted on the cylinder through the medium of inturned guide tongues 28. The cover is provided with a flange 29 which forms a grip through the medium of which the cover may be moved to partly mask the opening 26 and control the amount of light passing therethrough. The right side of the cylinder is also partly cut away to provide an opening 9. The opening is closed through the medium of a color screen 30 which is secured at the edges to the cylinder through the medium of struck up flanges 3| carried by the edges of the cylinder. The upper half of the color screen is preferably colored red and the lower half blue thus modifying the light to the right side of the reflector, which reflected light would shine in the eyes of approaching driver as shown by the broken lines in Figure 2. The ends 32 of the color screen overlap the inner surface of the cylinder as best shown in Figure 3, to hold the color screen against accidental displacement.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figure 5 a bracket 33 is provided at one end with an eye 34 to receive the housing 35 of aflexible push rod 36. The opposite end of the bracket is riveted as shown at 37, or otherwise secured direct to the reflector 3B. The bracket is provided intermediate its ends with a depending guide round the bulb and control the amount of light passing. from the bulb to the reflector as above explained.

From the above description it is thought that the construction and operation of the invention i.

will be fully understood without further explanation.

What is claimed is:

l. A headlight dimmer comprising, the combination of an automobile headlight, a dimming cylinder encircling the headlight bulb, one side of the cylinder being partly cutaway to provide a substantially oblong unobstructed opening to permit light rays to pass to the headlight reflector, av door having the same curvature as the cylinder and provided on the sides with inturned guide tongues straddling theopposite edge portions of the cylinder to permit the door to be slid circumferentially of the cylinder to partly obstructing or fully obstructing position over said opening, a flange extending outwardly from one end of the door forming a grip through the medium of which the door may be adjusted circumferentially of the cylinder, a bracket'arm supported at the rear of the reflector, a link attached to the cylinder and projecting through an opening in the rear portion of th'ereflector, guide means for the link, a tubular bearin'gcarried by the'bracket arm, and a flexible operating rod passing through the tubular bearing and connected to the link for slidably moving the cylinder.

2. A headlight dimmer as defined in claim 1, the cylinder being provided with a second opening and a multi-colored screen covering said opening.

MARK NOSAL. 

